Victoria’s eyes were heavy from lack of sleep, nearly to the point of stinging. But with her head hanging solemnly, she kept walking down the street in search for something familiar. All of the landmarks that she could think of raced in her head. And as she thought of them, she looked around for an indication of any sort. She saw nothing though, and this block was beginning to look like the last. There was not even a flicker of color, the world around her seemed so lifeless at that moment, so depressing, so full of despair. What if she wasn’t even in New York? New York was her home, it was all she knew. Taking her away from that would be unbearable.
Victoria frozen in her tracks for a moment as she considered the high possibility. What if she really was alone in the world now? Were Zephy and Adrian and Felix and Ella all looking for her? There was no attempt to force back tears as Victoria soon began to sob. She began walking again but slower now, stumbling over rubble not seen clearly through waterlogged eyes.
She could only hope that if she kept walking, she would find her way home. That was the way that they all traveled, it was the way of a lost straggler. This straggler was alone and defenseless and growing more and more paranoid of her surroundings by the moment. She knew where the walkers near her home lurked but now she had no idea where she was and where those walkers were.
‘At the very least Victoria wanted to find shelter away from all of the bad things. If only I had somewhere to go and hide. Maybe then they could come rescue me like last time.’ Victoria thought just as she reached her arms up to the top of the rotted trees trunk. She clambered on top of the trunk carefully and though it took her several minutes to climb it completely. Once on top of it, she realized just how high up the tree was. It was a surprisingly steep fall. She could make it without injuring herself but the sight of it made her a bit dizzy. She hugged to the tree tightly as she let her body slide down its other side. She felt a moist grime chafe against her hand but paid it little attention as she climbed down.
Looking around, the scenery was the same as before. She couldn’t see very far ahead. The street was clear but dangerous and very much out in the open. Victoria fearfully pressed herself into the shadows as she walked the street. She saw nothing familiar still but she clung to her hope. She scanned the streets as she moved, not keeping her back to any place for too long a time. For who knew who or what was also walking these streets.
Victoria looked down at her feet as the area seemed to change slightly. There was not much of a sidewalk, much less a place to hide. She stood there fearfully considering the survival tactics that she had learned and that her family had told her. Up ahead she saw a true mess of things. The street had a large crater in it, taking up any paths that she had thought of traveling. There was no way around it, she could only go through it or find another route. Victoria liked neither of these ideas.
There were other streets back the way she came, on the other side of the tree. Victoria wiped the grime from the tree onto her clothing. But those streets seemed like her, good places to be set up or trapped by gang members or walkers. Those streets were far too narrow for her. The way that Victoria saw it, going forward was the only thing that made sense. Not only was she lost enough already, she was also hated narrow streets. How could she face such a fear alone? It was usually Zephyriah or Ella that tlked her into facing her discomforts and neither of them were here. ‘No one is here.’ Victoria thought. ‘Why am I here? Where was Lala trying to go?’
Victoria bit her lip and forced back tears. She was trying to be strong now. She began her climb into the basin it was difficult but she found herself at its mouth. It was then that she thought of giving up, sitting there, but how stupid would that be? Victoria would have to keep going if she wanted to survive. |